On the Farm

A spring update from Dave Llewellyn, Head Gardener at Glynwood Farm

What do vegetable growers do all winter?  We had a pretty busy one.  We spent significant time crop planning and seed ordering for the 2009 season.  Lise and I were able to attend a Soils and Agronomy Laboratory Course in February.  We feel empowered to grow the healthiest crops this side of the Hudson!  We did a fair amount of research into new practices we can implement that will increase yields and improve the flavor and nutrient content of the food we produce.

In March, we hosted a workshop by Dan Kittredge on Nutrient Dense Crop Production.  It was well attended and received by many area vegetable growers.  Our first seeding of the year - onions, leeks and scallions - happened at the beginning of the month.  We pruned the apple orchard in March, as well. 

It has been one cool spring so far!  Still, we prepare in earnest because “real spring” will be upon us soon.  Maggie, my reliable draft horse, got to work last week prepping beds in the garden.  We have sown peas, carrots, beets, turnips and spinach.  Thousands of onion and scallion transplants went in the ground in mid-April. 

Just recently we managed to find a rare, non-breezy day to re-skin the high tunnel whose old plastic covering had torn free from the structure during a wind storm on February 12.  We saw gusts of up to 70 mph that day.  We consider ourselves fortunate to have saved the structure.

The sun is out, our chins are up!